IMPHAL, March 11: A state cabinet meeting held today has taken some resolutions to certain issues in the state after a thorough discussion.
The meeting started at 3 pm today at the Chief Minister’s cabinet secretariat conference hall and was presided by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Speaking to the media at his office chamber after the cabinet meeting, Education Minister M Okendro Singh who is also the government’s spokesperson said that the today’s meeting after a thorough discussion has given its approval to set up Manipur State Rural Development Agency (MSRDA) to look after the workings of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGREGS) and housing scheme, Indira Awas Yojana (IAY).
MSRDA will look after the workings of the two mentioned schemes which are part of the United Peoples’ Alliance (UPA) government’s flagship program and will includes funding, sanctioning amounta, utilization certificate, quality control etc.
The Minister further continued that earlier these were handled by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) but from now on, it will be look after by the MSRDA.
Further, the cabinet meeting today has also given its approval to appoint former state Chief Secretary Rakesh, IAS as the Chairman of the 14th finance Commission, the Minister informed.
The meeting also discussed in detail to provide more power to the Autonomous District Council (ADC) but could not come to a concrete solution in today’s meeting he said, while giving his assurance that the issue will have a solution soon.
ADCs have been given power to 26 departments under the state government. However, the ADCs are demanding for more power. So the matter was discussed in details by the meeting, he said.